Curfew is announced in Azerbaijani Guba region: strained situation is continued

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced curfew in Guba town of Azerbaijan. The decision is connected with the clashes which took place there on March 1. Azerbaijani media inform about this.

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the police office in Guba region (Northern part of the state) demanding release of persons detained during the recent protest action against the head of local executive power. The clashes were caused because of the announcement of Rauf Habibov, governor of the region. He announced that “Guba residents are sold and traitors and they sell and leave their lands with 30 manats.” The citizens claimed the governor must resign. Protest participants burnt the administration building, broke the windows. Angry crowd also burnt Habibov’s apartment. They warned if 200 activists would not set free they would burn other buildings of the town as well.

According to Azerbaijani media Habibov is resigned and all cars which enter to the region and leave it are checked because of the curfew. Azerbaijani authorities are troubled because of the clashes in Guba and are afraid that the revolutionary mood may be transferred to other places of Azerbaijan as well.